Teen arrested for Lawrence murder has pending cases

Jill Harmacinski, The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass.
·2 min read

May 18—LAWRENCE — A 17-year-old with two pending criminal cases in juvenile court was arraigned as an adult on a murder charge Tuesday after the bullet-torn body of a man was found in a backyard.

Adrian Corniel-Delacruz, of Lawrence, was charged with the murder of Edward Javier, 25, whose body was found Friday morning at 461 Haverhill St.

Javier suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

At the request of prosecutor Sorina Puzzo, the teen was held without bail on the murder charge and his bail was revoked in two pending criminal cases out of Lawrence and Worcester juvenile courts.

Corniel-Delacruz, wearing a blue surgical mask and a zip-up hoodie, stood in the prisoner's dock during his arraignment in Lawrence District Court early Tuesday afternoon.

Defense attorney Timothy Connors agreed Corniel-Delacruz would be held without bail, Puzzo said. There was no discussion in open court of the murder allegations Corniel-Delacruz is facing. Puzzo also asked Judge Kevin Gaffney to impound the police report in the case, which he agreed to.

The motive for the killing is unclear.

Puzzo mentioned the Corniel-Delacruz's two cases in juvenile court, which is not open to the public, but did not detail what offenses he was charged with in those cases.

Corniel-Delacruz now faces indictment by the Essex County grand jury. If the grand jury does indict him on the charge, his case will move to Salem Superior Court.

More arrests are expected in the murder case, police said.

On Monday, a young man who allegedly drove the getaway car after the murder was arrested.

Francisco Jose Tejada Torres, 22, of Lawrence, was charged with being an accessory after the fact of murder.

He was arraigned Monday in Lawrence District Court and his bail was set at $150,000. The police report in his case was also impounded, per order of a judge.

The homicide remains under investigation by Lawrence police and state troopers assigned to Blodgett's office.

Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter @EagleTribJill.